Train-pipe coupling.



T. BEHAN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

AFPLICAHON men JAN. n. 19x1.

Patented Mm. 12, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. BEHAN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLiCATlON FILED JAN. H. 1911.

Pawn Mar. 12, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- T. BEHAN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.||.1917.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3,

EYE. E.

am-uma fo'z T. BEHAN.

TRAIN- PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. H1 191]- L 1 Pm-16m Mar. 12,, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 PATENT FFEQFi.

THOMAS BEE-IAN, OF ALIQUIPPA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIILPIPE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

Application filed January 11, 1917. Serial No. 141,868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS BEHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aliquippa, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train- Pipe Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its main object to provide a comparatively simple yet highly efiicient coupling means for connecting the train pipes of railway cars.

Another object is to provide improved means for automatically locking the coupling members of the cars together when said cars are coupled and for automatically releasing the locking means when said cars are uncoupled.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this ap plication and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coupling means of a pair of cars in juxtaposition;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the coupling members interengaged;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the plane of the line 3'3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 1 is a detail longitudinal section on the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are vertical transverse sections on the planes of the lines 5-5, 6-6, '77 and 88 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on substantially the planes indicated by the line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a detail longitudinal section on the plane of the line 1010 of Fig. 9, showing the positions of parts before the coupling members of the two cars are connected;

Fig. 11 is a similar View after said members have been interengaged;

F 12 is a detail section on the plane of the line 1212 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a detail transverse section on the plane of the line l313 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 1 1 is a detail bottom plan view, showing the manner in which one of the similarly mounted locking shafts and the cam thereof may be removed;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the couplers of two approaching cars showing the manner in which they will be automatically guided into operative relation; and

Fig. 16 is a vertical transverse section on the plane of the line 1616 of Figs. 1 and 15. I

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 has reference to the usual draw-bar of a railway car having a coupler head 2 on its outer end. Disposed beneath the draw-bar 1 is a thrust block 3 connected therewith for slight horizontal turning by a bolt or the like a. As depicted in detail in Figs. 3 and 1, a pair of slots 5 are formed longitudinally through the block 3 and are increased in height at their front and rear ends so as to permit a pair of longitudinal bars 6 received therein to have a limited amount of vertical movement, said bars be ing not only slidable in the slots 5 but being in openings formed transversely through a rocking pin 7 which extends across the front ends of said slots.

The outer ends of the two bars 6 are con nected by a cross head 8 and powerful springs 9 are interposed between said head and the pin 7 so as to normally force said head outwardly. A second cross head 10 connects the inner ends of the bars 6 and is connected with one end of a chain or the like 11 whose other end is anchored to any suitable part of the car as indicated at 12. The chain 11 is preferably provided be tween its ends with coiled spring 13 to absorb the shock caused by sudden projection of the cross head 8 and'bars 6 by the springs 9 when the cars are uncoupled as will be hereinafter described.

The enlarged inner end 14 of a coupling neck 15 is connected with the cross head 8 for slight turning movement by means of a stud 16 and nut 17 as featured most clearly in Fig. 3, the turning movement of said neck being limited by a suitable stop shoulder 18 disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. The outer end of neck 15 is provided with a head 19 having male and female coupling members 26 and 21 respectively and as illu's trated most clearly in Fig. 3, packing gaskets 22 are provided in order that leakage may not occur between the members 20 and 21 of adjacent cars. As will be clear from Fig. 3, the male and female members 20 and branches 2a in the head 19, the members pipe 28 which depends from a longitudinal and 21 communicate with a transverse metal pipe 25 by means of a ball and socket joint 26 (see more particularly Fig. 7). Another ball joint 27 connects pipe 25 with a vertical pipe section 29 connected by a ball and socket joint 30 with the main pipe line 31 of the car, a suitable valve 32 being provided in this pipe line.

By the arrangement of pipes and ball joints described, the entire coupler can move in the required directions as the cars travel over the track, without the use of the usual flexible hoses which are prone to rot and burst.

A coupling member in the form of a channel-shaped guide 33 flared outwardly at its outer end extends outwardly from the lower end of the cross head 19 and parallel with said guide, in spaced relation thereto, is a vertically swinging coupling hook 3a connected with the head 19 by a pivot bolt 35 passing therethrough, these parts being disclosed clearly in Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 1.3.

A locking shaft 36 extends across the outer end of the channel-shaped member 33 and is adapted for cooperation with the hook 3 1- of another coupler when the cam 37 of said shaft is moved from the position shown in Fig 10 to h t f Fig. 11, said cam serving,

when returned to the position of Fig. 10, to cast the hook 3& from the shaft 36 in a manner to be described. 7

The shaft 36 may be rockably mounted in any preferred manner but its ends are preferably held detachably in one end of longitudinal slots 38 by removable bearing blocks 39 shown more particularly in Figs. 11 and 13, removable pins 40 being provided for normally holding said blocks in place. The shaft 36 and its cam 37 are formed as a single unit and as will be clear from Fig. 1%, these parts may be removed through an opening 33 in the bottom of the channelshaped member 33, it being necessary to first turn the shaft and cam 'to the required position.

.The rod 41 is pivoted to cam 37 below the shaft 36 and extends from said cam to a point adjacent the lower end of the head 8. The rod 4:1 is here pivoted to ears or the like 12 carried by the front end of one of a pair of longitudinally disposed links 13 which slide through notches 4A in the lower end of the head 8, said links having longitudinal slots 45 receiving transverse bolts 46 extending across said notches. the links 43 are pivotally connected with the lower end of a vertically disposed arm 17 which is received in the socket 18 in the inner end of the'thrust block 3, being pivotally supported by a bolt 19. The frictional con-' tact existing between the walls of the socket and the arms 17 is suilicient to prevent. swinging of the latter under normal conditions but when excessive strain is placed upon the links &3 this friction will be overcome to prevent breakage of parts, whereupon arm 47 will turn to the location de picted in Fig. 41-. The links 43 normally limit the action of the springs 9, two links being preferably employed to attain this end without causing binding of any parts.

With the parts constructed as above described, they normally stand as shown in Fig. 1, the cams 37 of the two cars being then in their normal positions which is de picted in Fig. 10. When, now, the cars are brought together to interengage the coupling heads 2 thereof, the male members 20 are received in the female members 21 as illus trated in Fig. 3 andsimultaneously with this movement, the entire structure of each improved coupler, with the exception of the parts connected with the thrust blocks 3, is moved inwardly against the tension of the springs 9. During this movement the bolts a6 slide in the slots 45 and at the same time the cams 37 are drawn downwardly to the position depicted in Fig. ll'by the rods 41' so that the hooks 3 1 may properly engage the shafts 36 to lock the two units of the improved coupler together. When the cars are uncoupled, the arrangement of parts de scribed will throw the cams 37 upwardly as indicated in Fig. 1 and in so moving, said cams will disengage the hooks 34 from the shafts 36 so that the two cars are free to move away from each other. fter coupling any two cars it is obvious that the valve 32 must be opened whereas it is necessary to close this valve after uncoupling.

To insure that the couplers of the cars properly engage, the necks 15 are received slidably in horizontal slots in vertical plates 71 which depend from the cars, said slots being of such a length as to prevent excessive lateral turning of the coupler of either car as will be clear from Fig. 15. It will thus be'obvious that as'the two cars come together, the funneLshaped female coupling members 21 come into contact with the rounded front ends of the male mem-. here 20, the formation of said female mem-i bersnow causing the parts to be properly guided together. The plates 71 are also formed with slots 72 through which 'the draw-bars 1 pass.

The inner ends of Particular emphasis is laid upon the provision of the hooks 34, shafts 36, and the coacting parts since this arrangementestablishes an effective connection between the coupler heads of the two cars even though the springs 9 should for any reason hecome inactive. Under such conditions, the parts in question will hold the male and female members 20 and 21 in operative relation and will thus prevent accidi its which might otherwise occur. This arrangement of parts also prevents sagging of the two coupler heads where joined.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious that although the improved coupler is of comparatively simple and inexpensive nature, it will be highly efficient and durable. For these reasons, the construction shown and described constitutes the preferred form of the device, but it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may be made without sacrificing the principal advantages.

1 claim:

1. A train pipe coupler comprising a thrust block and means for securing it to a part of a railway car, said block having a pair of slots formed longitudinally therethrough, a horizontal rocking pin extending transvesely through said block and across said slots, said pin having openings registering with said slots, a pair of parallel bars extending slidably through said openings and slots and movable vertically in the latter with said pin as a pivot, a cross head connecting the outer ends of said bars, springs interposed between said cross head and said pin, and a train pipe coupler head attached to said cross head.

2. A train pipe coupler comprising a thrust block and means for securing it to a part of a railway car, said block havin a pair of slots formed longitudinally therethrough, a horizontal rocking pin extending transversely through said block and across said slots, said pin having openings registering with said slots, a pair of parallel bars extending slidably through said openings and slots and movable vertically in the said pin as a pivot, a cross head latter with connecting the outer ends of said bars, springs interposed between said cross head and said pin, a second cross head connecting the inner ends of said bars, an elastic check device connected with said second cross head for checking the action of said springs, and a coupler head attached to the first named cross head.

3. A. train pipe coupler comprising a thrust block and means for securing it to a part of a railway car, said block having a pair of slots formed longitudinally there through, a horizontal rocking pin extending transversely through said block and across said slots, said pin having openings registering with said slots, a pair of parallel bars extending slidably through said openings and slots and movable vertically in the latwith said pin as a pivot, cross head on necting the outer ends of said bars, springs interpos-ec between said cross head and said pin, a train pipe coupler head swiveled to said cross head, and a stop shoulder on the outer side of said cross head for limiting the turning of said coupler head.

i. The combination with a pair of complementary train pipe coupler heads carried by two cars, of a transverse shaft carried by one head, a hook carried by the other head for engagei'i'ient with said shaft to lock the two heads together when the cars are coupled, a cam carried by the shaft for casting said hook from the latter, and means for automatically moving said cam to operative position when the two cars are uncoupled.

5. The combination with a pair of con plementary train pipe coupler heads carried by two cars, of a transverse shaft carried by one head, a hook carried by the other head for engagement with said shaft to lock the two heads together when the cars are coupled, a cam ri idly secured on said shaft for casting the hook from the latter, and means for rocking said shaft to dispose the cam to operative position automatically when the two cars are uncoupled.

*r train pipe coupler comprising a relatively fixed member, a couple; head movable toward said member, means carried by said head for looking it to the corresponding head of another car when the two cars are couples, a lliii. connected frictionally with said relatively fixed member, said link having a longitudinal slot, a sliding member carried by the coupler head and movable in said slot, and a rod extending outwardly from said link and connected with the aforesaid lockin means for operating the latter automatically when the two cars are coupled and uncoupled.

7. ii. rain pipe coupler comprising a coupler head having a. self-applied locking member, a second coupler head having a shoulder coacting with said locking member, cash-oil device on said second head for casting said locking member from said shoulder when the two heads are uncoupled, said cast-off device remaining in operative position when the heads are uncoupled, a member fi2-11l relatively to said second head and positioned in rear thereof, and a rigid connecting means between said cast-0d device and said fixed member for pushing the former to inoperative position when the heads are coupled.

8. A train pipe coupler comprising a coupler head having a self-applied locking member, a second coupler head having a shoulder eoacting With said locking member, a cast-ofi" device on said second head for casting said locking member from said shoulder When the two heads are uncoupled, said cast-off device remaining in operative position when the heads are uncoupled, a .member fixed relatively to said second head and positioned in rear thereof, a rigid connecting means leading rearWardly' from said cast-off device for pushing the latter to inoperative position When the heads are Copies of this patent may be obtained for vmy hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS BEHAN.

l/Vitnesses ROBERT DOUGLAS BARRY. STEPHEN HORVATEG.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ?atents,

Washington, D. C. 

